The Way Home
by Rhoey
Summary: Toph investigates the disappearance of her officers and its connection to a certain criminal organization. Meanwhile, she struggles with her daughter's seemingly hopeless earthbending training. Sokka holds her sanity together while he tries to overcome a problem that's been tormenting him for years.
1. Chapter 1

**The Way Home**

**Chapter 1: Interference**

The once persistent blind earthbender was finally caving in and losing hope. With the barely four-year-old standing before her, nervously obeying her orders while blindfolded with a piece of cotton cloth wrapped around her head tightly, training her each day for months on end without progress, she began to grow frustrated. At first, the child had complained and whimpered, asking to remove the blindfold, but her defiance had not been tolerated by her teacher. The latter was uncompromising and relentless, expecting to have her do precisely as told, no questions asked. As a teacher, even with her own child, she was rigid and resolute, as a rock.

In her home on the outskirts of Republic City, a low wooden house with a courtyard, she had created a rock garden and arranged it to be training grounds for her daughter. A boulder had been placed in the middle of it, assigned to be the child's teaching tool. But even though months had passed since she had brought that stone to the courtyard, it had never been moved from its spot; even some form of moss began to grow on it.

"If you want to become an earthbender," she instructed, "you've got to be like a rock yourself. That's the only way you will move that rock. Now, let's do this again, and be _determined_ this time. Take your stance, steady and strong!" barked the blind earthbender.

Doing once again as she had been instructed, the girl took her position, for what appeared to be the fiftieth time that evening. Thus, with a swift motion of her arm aimed at the rock placed in front of her, she punched the air like she would be punching an enemy, exactly as she had been told to.

Distraught, the woman turned away from the girl as to conceal the scowl of disappointment distorting her features. Still, after all the training, nothing occurred. Once again, her action yielded no results; the stone had not budged, not even a millimeter, neither did the girl.

Sensing her mother's dissatisfaction, and afraid to upset her further, the girl backed away slightly.

She peeped feebly, "Mama…is it time to stop?"

The latter spun around to face her, hiding her emotions behind a wooden smile.

"Yes," she breathed despondently. "You did great, kid. That's enough practicing for today."

Tearing off the cloth from her head, the girl rushed inside, while her teacher remained in the garden, beside herself with desolation and shame, unable to accept her defeat.

* * *

Nearly all of her evening passed with trying to convince her daughter to wind down and head to bed, but all in vain. She had already lost count of the number of times she must have nagged her, but the girl simply refused to obey and defied her boldly as she had done the day before and the one before that. Each night, it was the same story. But now, with her most recent disappointment, she could no longer bear it; she was losing her patience at last, quite ready to snap.

The blind earthbender turned her head towards the door when she felt a familiar figure outside, about to knock. Already, she knew who it was, and she skipped across the room toward the door to admit her visitor.

"_There's_ my favorite metalbender chief!" a well-known deep voice gushed at the mere sight of her.

"Great timing, Sokka," she replied sardonically and let him in.

"What are you saying? It's _the best _timing!" he cried in disbelief. "Guess what I brought with me."

The man held up a bottle, to which Toph replied in annoyance, "I have no earthly clue. It _sounds_ like a bottle…but I'm guessing you're referring to what's _in _the bottle."

"Only the finest liquor the United Republic has to offer! It was pricey, but one doesn't simply become _chief of police _every day, am I right?" he praised with a wide smile across his lips and squeezed his friend's shoulder amiably.

"That's old news, I've been in charge for years," she corrected.

"Yeah, but it's _official _now. You've got the special outfit and everything, plus, I heard they're making a _statue_ in your honor! _That _calls for a celebration!"

Their conversation was cut short by the sound of small feet pounding against the wooden floorboards. The little girl darted across the room, her black curls dancing in the wind. Before Sokka had time to react or speak, the girl was already attacking his legs, hugging them with glee.

"Lin, I'm happy to see you too," he acknowledged with such warmth, and ruffled the girl's obsidian hair affectionately. He joked, "My, you've grown! You were so much shorter yesterday. Are you sure you're not a _sizebender_?"

While the little girl giggled, very amused, Toph could not help but roll her eyes at him in embarrassment. "'Sizebender'?"

He picked her up into his arms. The man tossed her into the air and caught her, a motion which the girl apparently enjoyed, judging by her near hysterical loud laughter. Once she wearied of that, she instead climbed onto his shoulders where she sat herself, and grabbed his ponytail.

"Foward, orsie!"

"No, I'm not a horsie," he protested lightheartedly between laughs, "No, Lin, don't-OW! That's my hair…"

Still, Sokka's pain would not thwart her; his yelp only served to amuse the toddler more.

"Run, orsie, run!" the girl commanded loudly while tugging on the poor man's hair. In hopes of convincing her to cease her agonizing pull on his mane, he gave in to her request and played along, pretending to be an ostrich-horse.

"Faster! Faster! FASTER!" she yelled with delight.

Sokka merely obeyed. He lost count of the amount of laps he had made across the house. But the girl never seemed to tire.

* * *

An hour must have passed. Sokka found Toph outside in the yard, perched alone in silence on the porch, back against the wall and her chin resting on her knees. In his arms, he carried a slumbering Lin.

"_There_ you are," he murmured at last. "Umm, I think she fell asleep."

"Finally," Toph cried, "I thought she'd _never _be quiet!"

"Shh! Not so loud, you'll wake her!" he chided under his breath. "I'll go tuck her in."

"Sure, you do that," came the woman's laid-back response.

She folded her arms behind her head and leaned against the wall casually.

Sokka brought the child inside and carried her to her bed while the woman waited for him outside. The night was warm. It felt amazing to be able to sit down at last and be at ease. Up until now, she had not even noticed how much her poor limbs ached after a long days' work.

When she had chosen to raise her daughter alone, she never realized how much labor it entailed, how full her hands would be. Rambunctious as her toddler was, as well as defiant, Toph certainly never had a chance to relax and care for herself. Despite that, she loved her child more than life itself, and always ensured her safety and wellbeing above her own. And still, she could barely handle the increasing anguish within her bosom. Serving the city as a police officer required a lot of her time, energy and presence of mind; she had to be alert, sharp and ready at all times, even when most inconvenient. But the woman would never complain about the challenges it brought about; she loved her occupation, and would give anything to uphold peace and order in the city she helped build. With her daughter, however, she could not push herself any harder in order to teach her a skill she may not even have been able to learn at all…

Steady footsteps echoed in the floorboards which trembled and groaned beneath her, then she heard the wooden door slide open.

"She's fast asleep," Sokka announced upon arrival. He added softly and smiled, "Guess we have the night to ourselves, then. It's just _you and me _right now."

"Thanks," she blurted out.

"Don't mention it," he bragged. "The fun has merely begun!"

"No, dim-wit. I meant for helping me out with Lin."

"Oh, that? That's no big deal," he alleged, waving it off with a smile.

"Are you kidding? I've been trying to send her to bed all evening, but all she does is disobey me every step of the way. I don't know how you do it, but you have a way with her."

"It's a gift," he bragged with assertion and a confident grin, seating himself next to her on the floor.

"You've been of so much help since she was born, I would never have been able to do it all by myself," she confessed, her sightless eyes staring blankly into empty space as she smiled thoughtfully. She leaned further back, crossing her legs.

Lightheartedly, she proceeded, "Who would have thought that being chief of police, tracking down criminal organizations across the United Republic, leading a metalbending academy _and _being a single mom would take _so much _out of a person!"

Sokka merely smiled without a word. He busied himself with attempting to open the bottle and pull the firmly plugged wooden cork out.

Something about him seemed off, Toph noted; he appeared unusually somber and quiet for the Sokka that she knew, but she couldn't quite grasp or explain why that was. The man was oblivious to her observation and her discreet scrutiny of his movements and heartbeat, as she heard the clink of small glasses, and the sound of liquid pouring into them.

"Here you go," he announced, handing her one of the glasses, which she readily accepted.

He raised his glass skyward. "To Toph Beifong," he announced, "the greatest earthbender of all time, and my best friend," he pronounced the last part with even more affection, then added good-humouredly, "and have I mentioned the greatest earthbender of all time?"

Toph replied in a theatrical manner, "Gee, thanks, Sokka. You're too kind!"

"…Whose name will go down in history! Cheers, Chief."

"Yeah, go down in history, indeed…" she whispered scornfully, more to herself. Luckily, Sokka didn't hear her.

Each lifted their glass before they consumed the contents. Sokka stared wide-eyed at the woman sitting next to him, who guzzled down the liquor in one go, unflinching. She wiped her lips nonchalantly on her forest green sleeve and assumed her former position.

"Not bad, not bad!" an astonished Sokka praised. "Where'd you learn to drink like a man?"

"Not from _you_. You're too much of a wimp for this stuff," she mocked.

"Glad to know some things never change."

Although she appeared to be as carefree as ever, Sokka took notice of her unusual behavior. To be sure, he had never seen her drink liquor like that, but her general silence puzzled him the most; he suspected something was not entirely as it should be. On a night like this, when she had in fact been recognized by the world as someone remarkable, she did not even rejoice. She wasn't the boisterous woman he had gotten used to. Instead, she leaned gloomily against the wall, her thick black fringe covering her eyes more than usual, as if to obscure her face completely.

"Hey, is everything all right?" he inquired at last, concerned. He encouraged tenderly, "Come on, you can tell me."

There was a pause. She hesitated, but after several seconds, she decided to speak, though rather reluctantly.

"It's Lin," she breathed. She sighed and frowned. "I have done everything I can, and taught her _everything_ I know, and still she won't even move a _pebble_!"

She complained, almost on the verge of tears, "What if she will never learn to earthbend? What if she…can't bend _at all_? Maybe I'm just deluding myself. Maybe I should just…stop."

Distraught, she pulled her knees up to her bosom and hugged her legs. She looked so miserable; it was a heartbreaking sight. It pained Sokka to watch his friend suffer.

He edged closer to her and rubbed her back gently. "Toph, come on, you're giving up hope a little too soon. She probably just needs _more_ time. Listen, I know you love to push people around, and you want results…but she's _only_ _four years old_. Maybe you should take Aang's advice on patience," he added with a smile.

As though lightning had struck him, he suddenly had an idea. "Maybe _I_ should train her! You _said_ I have a way with her. I might just be what she needs!"

"That's a great idea!" Toph cried cynically. "Have the _non-bender _teach bending! Why didn't _I_ think of that?"

"Very funny, Toph. But I'm serious."

"Yeah, how will you do that?" she inquired in disbelief. "With another one of your motivational speeches?"

Sokka ignored her sarcasm, still in a good mood, and egged her on even more. "Just trust me. Sokka has done it before, and Sokka will do it again! You'll see. You will be kissing the very ground I walk on when I'm done."

Toph sniggered to herself, finally yielding to this man's crazy idea. "Sure, whatever you say, O 'great Sifu Sokka'."

That felt wonderful. For the first time in weeks, her mood lifted, and she could laugh again. Although she wholeheartedly believed that his plan would fail or backfire in some way (as it has done many times in the past), she realized that he was right: perhaps all hope wasn't lost; perhaps she was simply being too hard on herself and too impatient. Maybe her daughter simply wasn't ready yet and she needed more time for her teachings to finally sink in. How happy she was for her friend's company; even in the darkest of times, he somehow always managed to raise her spirits.

"I've got to say…I've really missed this. Just you and me, hanging out like old times. Those were the days," she recounted nostalgically.

"Yeah, we've had some good times together, didn't we?" the latter acknowledged, with a wistful smile.

His tone was different, she noted. Just then, a strong arm encircled her shoulders and drew her near him. Eager arms pulled her into his embrace. Uneasily, she played with the meteor bracelet on her right arm, bestowed upon her by her friend many years ago; to this day, it was still her most treasured possession; she wore it day and night, wherever she went.

Sokka was rather surprised that she didn't resist him, and wouldn't immediately push him away, elbow him or punch him in her usual manner; he had been prepared for a painful blow, but none came. Instead, she allowed him to hold her. This wasn't typical of her. He brought his face closer to her head, where he could feel her smooth hair against his face. It was silky to the touch, and smelled of earth and steel; a scent so familiar to him, and a scent he had come to love.

He admired her long raven hair, which tumbled in thick locks over her shoulders and back, all the way down to her bottom. There was something doll-like about her countenance; about her porcelain pale complexion and how it contrasted against her black hair. He found her strangely beautiful in the dimmed light from inside the house, which played on the side of her face.

Although the blind earthbender couldn't see his features, something in his behavior was different. Arms tightening around her, pressing her tiny frame against his strong chest, where she could feel his heart pounding. His breathing, now heavy, caressed her cheek with each exhale. He ran his fingers through her lovely hair. Toph's heart fluttered and her face grew hot when she unexpectedly felt his lips brush against her cheek, where he planted a playful but tender kiss. She fidgeted nervously in his embrace.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," he cooed.

"I certainly also get the _feeling _you want to tell me something," she stated.

"Huh? N-no…I'm just happy you turned that frown upside down."

"No. You've got something on your mind. You didn't _just _come here to celebrate, did you?"

"There's nothing 'on my mind'," he professed. "What gave you that idea?"

"Don't lie, Sokka," she ordered. "You're not very good at it."

His features softened, as well as his tone when he conceded, "All right, all right. Since you insist…there _is_ something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Really? What did you do _this _time?" she teased playfully, raising an eyebrow.

He chuckled gently. "No, it's not like that. I've never told you this before, well I've never told _anyone_, and…maybe…I should have told you years ago…"

"Oh?"

She waited, very much intrigued, lingering in his warm embrace comfortably and listened intently.

He paused to catch his breath, then faltered, "I-I've always admired you, Toph. You are the bravest, strongest, toughest and most…amazing person I've ever known," he confessed.

Smilingly, he went on, "Sure, you can be a royal pain sometimes, but…I hope that never changes. I want you to always be the Toph Beifong I know. You're my best friend in the whole world. And…also, these past few years made me realize some things…" he hesitated for a moment, then breathed, "I guess what I'm trying to tell you is that…I-"

"Someone's at the door," Toph interrupted.

She tore herself away from him when she detected intense vibrations in the floor. Sure enough, a banging on the front door echoed through the house. Without further delay, the earthbender took to her feet and left a befuddled Sokka behind.

A police officer who Toph recognized at once spoke. "Chief Beifong? I apologize for the disturbance at such a late hour, but I've come with urgent news."

"What's so important that it can't wait till morning?" she demanded somewhat irritably.

"Some of our officers have gone missing. They've been absent for hours and there's no way to contact or locate them. We're suspecting a possible abduction, and the involvement of an underground criminal organization," the policeman declared gravely. "Time is of the essence. We need you on this, Chief."

The officer diverted his eyes to the man behind Toph.

"Evening, officer," came an uneasy greeting from the man.

Sokka counted himself lucky this time that Toph was blind; she didn't see the officer shifting his eyes between the pair, as though he understood the situation perfectly. He even smiled sagaciously, which caused Sokka's face to heat up in embarrassment.

"I'm very sorry for interrupting…_something_," the officer claimed, increasing the man's discomfort all the more.

Much to his relief, however, his friend remained oblivious, and the policeman let the matter go. Toph appeared to be deep in thought.

"Sokka, can I ask you a favor?" she asked in earnest, her tone demanded an answer right away.

"Sure," he replied, though blinked in confusion.

"Could you watch over Lin while I'm on duty?"

He nodded and gave her back an encouraging pat. "Of course. She'll be in safe hands while you're gone, don't worry. You do what you have to, Chief."

With that decided, the woman left her home with her officer. Her friend threw her a worried glance, and added with genuine concern, "Be careful."

And she was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Indication**

Within an hour, Toph and her two officers, Chen and Jian, arrived outside of an obscure bar, close to the Central Station. It lay on a narrow street, at the bottom floor of a multi-storey building. Dimly lit inside, on the outside, a large wooden sign was brightly illuminated. The green board wore black symbols painted on it. They read 'Kang's Corner'.

"This is the place I heard about," declared Officer Chen dutifully. "Officers Quon, Wei and Chung were last seen entering, and they never left."

"Well, then," stated Toph in a business-like air, "it's time to put these new uniforms to the test."

Up until now, the police force uniforms had underwent multiple changes until they've reached this final, perfected design with steel cables rather than the Dai Li inspired iron gloves fired at the offenders, which would in turn grab and retrieve them.

"All right, let's go. Officers, keep your eyes open," Toph cautioned.

The other two men obeyed and followed their boss, who pushed the glass door wide open with one hand. As they entered, a thick veil of smoke mingled with the intense aroma of deep-fried food struck their noses. The gazes that Toph and her two officers received were not those of appreciation; even the barkeep shot them a dirty look. Customers whispered amongst each other, watching curiously. Another man emerged from the kitchen and spotted the new visitors.

Clad in dark iron uniforms and hats, the two policemen stood tall behind their chief who dwarfed by their presence, as tiny as she was in comparison. But what she lacked in size, she made up for in attitude and skills. Her sightless cloudy eyes stared reproachfully ahead of her, straight at this new stranger next to the barkeep.

"What's goin' on?" the man asked heatedly. "What is it _this _time?"

With a flick of the wrist, a solid black metal cable rolled out of a disc-shaped dispenser attached to her belt, ensnaring the stranger.

"Well, what do you know," she uttered rather smugly, more to herself, unreservedly delighted with this new design and its efficiency.

Only the pianist in one corner playing popular Earth Kingdom tunes broke the silence. The few customers that occupied the tables tensed up with anticipation and whispered amongst each other.

Toph narrowed her eyes at her captive. "Are you Kang?"

"Y-yes," grunted the man, squirming uncomfortably beneath the robust metallic ropes wound tightly around his body.

"What do you know about the disappearance of three officers?"

"I don't know…please, I don't!" he croaked.

"You're lying," Officer Ji chimed in. "Our source says this is the place they were seen last. You better tell the truth, or else…"

With one firm stomp, and the swift swinging of his arms up in the air, Ji raised several blocks of solid earth from the ground and encased the suspect's body; he was rendered immobile, completely trapped and unable to escape. Ji tightened the stone barrier around the man menacingly. At this point, Toph withdrew her ropes.

"Officer Ji, Chen: a word, please," the latter called, motioning for them to approach her.

They both obeyed and came closer to their boss. "Either he's telling the truth, or he's an extremely talented actor," she whispered earnestly. "In any case, interrogating him is a waste of time; we're not getting anything out of that guy."

"Are you sure? So, it's a dead-end?" Chen inquired, discouraged.

A mischievous smirk crept across Toph's lips. "Officer Chen, have you ever heard the expression 'more than meets the eye'?"

The young officer looked at her, puzzled. "Yeah…why?"

"This is a classic example," she uttered in a cryptic manner.

Thus, she headed back to her detainee, marching past him, straight into the kitchen, unyielding despite the man's numerous incensed protests and bold threats. Chen joined her as she proceeded to slam a foot into the cold stone floor, sensing the vibrations and whether the earth responded to her. By then, both officers as well as the barkeep and Mr. Kang himself had fallen silent, all tensed up in anticipation.

Chen's heart thumped at the sight of Toph's satisfied grin.

Without further ado, she stomped her foot harshly into the hard flooring again, and with her earthbending, she tore an opening into it, sending dust and rubble flying about the kitchen, knocking cookware off their shelves. Once the dust settled somewhat, what seemed like a hidden hatch materialized, and a ladder straight down into what appeared to be a passageway beneath the facility.

"Someone will have some explaining to do, down at headquarters," the chief declared, still wearing the same victorious smile. Pointing at Ji, she instructed firmly, "Officer Ji, take Kang down to headquarters. Officer Chen, you come with me."

Ji handled his duties without question and arrested the owner, and the youngest of the group, Chen, could barely contain his own enthusiasm, agape with amazement. "Chief Beifong…you continue to impress me with your remarkable talents!"

"Save your praise for later, kiddo. Let's go!"

With that order, he accompanied his boss into the blackness below, ready with his flashlight.

Despite the horrific notion that anything could have happened to her officers by this time, she pressed on. Whatever could have occurred with her colleagues, she would find them, as well as get to the bottom of all of this, by any means necessary.

With that, she descended into the abyss.

* * *

Sokka awoke with a start to the sound of a high-pitched voice shrieking his name. Reluctant eyes opened only to shut again once the dazzling daylight stung them. He grumbled in protest, but the shouts would not cease. Alarmed, he shot out of bed, looking around himself frantically.

"What happened, what-"

By his bedside, however, a wide-awake Lin demanded his immediate awakening by slamming her palms on the bed.

"Get up!" she shouted in his ear. "Get up! Get up! Get up! Get up! Get up!"

As his grogginess abated, relief washed over him at the discovery that this was an ordinary morning like any other, in Lin's presence.

"I'm up, Lin," he mumbled, then stretched himself lazily while a yawn attacked him. Rubbing his tired, sore eyes, he forced himself out of bed, straightening out his somewhat creased day clothes which he had apparently slept in. His head swam, his eyes still foggy and his mouth dry.

The morning was warm. Sokka had to mentally remind himself that he had work to attend to, at City Hall that very same afternoon. And so, he decided to take Lin with him to Air Temple Island and have Katara watch over her while he was away on duty. The girl was absolutely thrilled with the idea of seeing her aunt and uncle, and especially her three friends.

Lin was a loud-mouthed, stubborn and rowdy little girl, but also very mature and eloquent for her age. Already at the early age of three, Sokka had single-handedly taught the girl to read and write. He had been amazed by the child's interest and excitement to learn, as well as her extraordinary memory. Aside from some difficulties pronouncing the letter 'H', and sometimes 'S', and some spelling and grammatical mistakes, by the age of four, she wrote her own stories, which Sokka subsequently read to Toph. She was so pleased with her 'little badgermole' as she lovingly nicknamed her child.

He taught her to tie various knots, to weave, and to set up a tent. The girl had proven herself to be skilled at many things, including fishing. Sokka had brought with her on many 'fishing trips', where he taught her all she needed to know about catching fish, and showed her the best sites around Yue Bay to gather shellfish and mollusks. It had become a habit of theirs to sail out in the bay and discover smaller uninhabited islands, odd-shaped cliffs and caves. Naturally, because Toph could not have made herself more clear on her absolute contempt of traveling by sea, she never joined them. Sokka proudly recounted their adventures to the girl's mother, and praised the girl for her exceptional skills, but mostly her passion and determination. The child showed off her new-found expertise and knowledge eagerly.

On this particular morning, the heat from the sun was relentless. The Beifong residence was situated only a walking distance from the docks, at the very brink of the western area of the city. Sokka's undersized sailboat was tied up there among hundreds of other smaller boats.

The day was breezy enough to carry the vessel across the bay for a visit to his sister and brother-in-law. Lin expressed pure delight over the ferry ride, and Sokka promised to allow her an hour at most on the beach before they would head up to his sister's residence.

Upon arriving on the island, Lin scurried to the beach, entwining her little fingers with his, leading him to the lagoon. He settled in the shade near a cliff, and the toddler scampered into the shallow water to collect sea shells and chase after crabs.

Sokka sat very comfortably in the sand and kept an eye on the child whose interest focused solely on the excavation of the wet sand, and the exploration of the lagoon and all the small creatures living in it. It didn't take long before she came running with something new in her hands.

"Look!"

She scuttled over to him and asked him to open his palms. Releasing the contents of her two cupped hands, she revealed a tiny creature in a spire-like shell, with six miniature legs, pincers, antennae and two beady black eyes.

"It's a hermit crab," Sokka disclosed. "I haven't seen one of those in many years."

What a rare sight, indeed! He hadn't seen one since his last visit to Kiyoshi Island. He let his mind wander, and he revisited a special place, ten years ago.

On a cloudless blue sky hung a scorching sun. It had been hot that day, just like today, and the couple had spent their time swimming and lounging on the beach.

"Hey, I found a new pet for you," Suki announced playfully and motioned for him to come into the water.

She showed him her new find; a little crab in a shell.

"It's looking at you," Sokka noted.

Suki could not resist teasing him. "You think if I kiss it, it'll turn into a prince?"

"Only badgerfrogs do that, in fairytales. But if you kiss _me_, I just might turn into a prince."

Puckering his lips in an exaggerated manner, he moved closer to give her a kiss, but she pushed him away, giving his chin an odd look. Sokka had for the first time in years been able to grow some hair on his chin, much to his delight, and he showed it off proudly. His significant other, on the other hand, was not particularly fond of it.

"What? No kiss?" he whined. "Is it the goatee?"

"You're shaving that thing tonight," Suki insisted.

"Aww, come on, Suki! It's not _that _bad!" he argued. "Besides, the guys think it looks cool."

"Then maybe you should ask Zuko or Aang to kiss you," she retorted mockingly.

Sokka grabbed her arm and attempted to pull her close to give her a playful kiss, but the woman quickly swatted him away in jest.

"Come on, babe, be reasonable about this. Okay, how about this: I'll shave it…let's say…" he paused for a moment before continuing, "if you marry me?" he suggested innocently.

Suki blinked in confusion, then burst out laughing. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Well?" he inquired timidly. His cheeks flushed when he asked, "How about it?"

As her boyfriend, Suki blushed, heartbeat quickening. "Are you…proposing to me?"

He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Uh…well, yeah, I guess I am. I mean…"

Hawking in embarrassment, he faced her solemnly. His formerly lighthearted visage melted into a serious expression when he felt his own heart pound wildly against his chest. His trembling hands grasped both of hers, and he stared into her azure eyes.

"Will you…do me the honor?"

In return, her eyes welled up and she smiled, unable to contain herself. "Yes! Yes, of course!"

Overwhelmed with emotions, she threw her arms around his neck lovingly and kissed him. They held each other, and Sokka kissed her passionately in response. She whispered his name dreamily, to which the man squeezed her. How joyful her answer had made him! As though he walked on clouds; truly, he was the luckiest man alive! Already, so many plans for the future ran through his mind all at once.

"Oh," he murmured ardently into her ear, "I'm going to make you _so _happy!"

"Promise me we won't be away from each other like this again," she beseeched.

She thought of the months on end when they couldn't see each other; Sokka's duties to Republic City tied him to the ever growing metropolis, and her own family and friends tied her here. The journey between the island and the city was long, and whenever Sokka visited, his vacations merely lasted two weeks at a time. They filled in the gap with letters, and they wrote weekly, whenever time permitted. But it was far from enough.

"We don't have to be," Sokka offered. "Come with me to Republic City! We'll build a house. One big enough for at least five of us!"

"'Five of us'?"

"Well, I figured we'd have _at least _two kids," he explained in good humor. "We should have a big family."

Suki laughed. "We'll see. _You're _not the one who has to carry them!"

He could only smile in response to her statement, and he walked backwards in the near knee-deep water, always watching her beautiful face. Without warning, Suki saw him take a tumble into the water. She didn't see how, but assumed he must have stepped on something or tripped, but she was immediately by his side, pulling him out.

"Sokka! Are you all right?"

Her alarm was met with a mischievous smile.

"Admit it, you freaked out there!"

From his impish grin, she knew right away that he had fallen on purpose.

"You jerk! I did not!" she snapped, and cuffed his arm.

Still, he teased, "Oh? 'Cause your face told me otherwise."

Just then, Suki pushed him back into the water and it was her turn to laugh.

"Hey! Is that a way to treat your future husband?"

They both laughed and Sokka pushed her, but this time, Suki grabbed hold of him, bringing him down with her.

As they sat there, both soaked, still giggling, a thought occurred to him. "This is where we first met," he remarked. "You captured me on the beach, and then you threatened to feed me to the Unagi."

The woman was surprised. "I can't believe you still remember that."

"How could I ever forget? It's the day I first laid my eyes on you."

Once again, she blushed. "Oh, Sokka…you're so unfunny sometimes."

"I wasn't joking," he declared sincerely.

Azure met cerulean, locked in an intense gaze. His lips brushed against hers yet again, and they held each other. It was just the two of them, on a beautiful afternoon like this, in quiet ecstasy.

Before long, the memory faded. Like a mirage, it evaporated, when reality called his name. Sokka was jerked out of his daydream when he heard laughter behind him. Three children ran towards him.

"Uncle Sokka!" they cried in unison.

Upon turning his head, he immediately recognized his niece and two nephews, who pounced on him gleefully and hugged the man. "He-hey! Kya, Bumi…Tenzin!"

"Sokka?" Katara saw him and approached him. "So it _was _your boat that I saw! I'm not just imagining things," she acknowledged with a smile.

He greeted his sister with an affectionate hug, and explained, "I have to meet with the council. Toph trusted me with Lin, but if it's not a problem, I'll have her here while I'm away. I'll pick her up as soon as I'm done."

"Of course."

He turned to the girl. "Lin-bean, why don't you join your friends? I'll be back in a few hours, okay?"

"Okay!" she cheeped. Without a second glance, she ran off with her three friends, though always close by where Katara could see them. The latter turned to her brother and smiled.

"I've read your speech," she revealed. "It's very inspirational. I think Toph will be pleased."

"'Speech'?"

For a moment, Sokka was at a loss. What was his sister on about? He froze up.

"For the commemoration gala tomorrow night," Katara reminded. "Try to look presentable, they'll be taking photographs of us," she declared with a childlike smile when she dusted off and straightened out his creased robes. "They're raising that statue in Toph's honor at the headquarters."

He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, his gaze trained on the ground. "Yeah..."

Katara sighed when she recognized this behavior. "Don't tell me you forgot! You've known about it for months, and you know how important it is! It's _your _best friend's party," she chided disapprovingly. "You're such a scatter-brain lately, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing," he mumbled and waved it off, shunning her searching gaze. "Just a lot on my mind is all."

Katara arched an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest at the unsatisfactory answer. Her brother eyed her and fidgeted uncomfortably under her scrutiny.

"What?" he demanded innocently.

She merely shook her head. "I'm just trying to figure out what it is that you're not telling me."

"Look at the time!" he cut her off, gazing at his pocket watch and walked slowly backwards. "I should get to City Hall. Well, see you later."

With that hasty farewell, he ran before she could ask anything else. Katara sighed and shook her head.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: A Broken Promise**

By the time Sokka returned home following the council meeting, the sun just about converged with the horizon, painting the skies and surrounding clouds in tints of crimson and orange.

He managed to briefly visit Air Temple Island and join his sister and Aang, and their rambunctious children for dinner. The councilman requested Katara to let Lin stay the night on the island; he'd told her that a stack of papers still waited for him on his desk, and he would most likely be working well into the night to get it all done on time.

He sailed back to the mainland but from there, he didn't take the usual route to City Hall where his office was located; this time, he headed for his own humble abode.

The two-bedroom apartment was humble indeed, in a small red building crammed between two larger ones of different colors. His home stood empty, so unlike the active and crowded home of his sister, and everything remained precisely as he had left it. The furniture cried out for some cleaning; Sokka had no recollection of the last time they had been properly dusted off. He had dismissed the housekeeper who used to come by twice a week to clean, saying he no longer needed her services; because he practically lived in his office, and spent most of his time in City Hall, in Toph's house, and everywhere else except for his own dwelling, he saw no need to keep his residence sparkling. Nobody ever came here besides himself.

He stepped into the living room and lit a kerosene lamp to illuminate his surroundings, then sunk wearily into the nearest armchair. Thoughts bombarded his mind from all directions, much to his annoyance.

From his position, he spied a rolled-up parchment casually sitting on top of the low wooden table that occupied the middle of the room. He stared at the sheet absently, as though lost in thought.

Only some days since his last visit here, he cleaned out one of the drawers in the living room when he, without warning, came across a long, cylindrical container with a lid, addressed to him in neat handwriting. It was a tube in which messenger hawks delivered letters; a tube he had shunned for many years and shoved into a drawer, thinking it would somehow be gone and forgotten.

Then one day, it was staring at him from the bottom of that drawer, almost mockingly.

By his own choice, he decided to re-open it. All of the memories came rushing back to him at once, accompanied by a familiarly intense pang he had felt when he had first torn the lid off to read the writing on the scroll inside.

Straightening out the parchment within, hands trembling slightly, Suki's beautiful handwriting danced across the aged sheet. He began to read it in silence.

* * *

Sokka's marriage proposal stirred the inhabitants of Kyoshi Island. Celebrations and congratulations resounded throughout the village. Music was played, glasses were raised in the couple's honor, heartfelt speeches were held, each house decorated with colorful origami flowers and lanterns. A variety of pastries were served for this special occasion, which Sokka indulged in for the majority of the evening. Ty Lee jumped at the two and hugged them tight, crying tears of joy, exclaiming that it was 'about time'. Indeed, while the two had had a long and happy relationship together, marriage had not been possible since they both traveled the world; Sokka contributing to the building and developing of Republic City, while Suki's duties were to the Firelord as one of his primary bodyguards. Because of that, marriage simply would not have combined well with their busy lifestyles and long-distance relationship. But now, nearing their thirties, they both agreed that if they would tie the knot, it should happen soon.

But already the day after their engagement, they were forced to separate once more. As Sokka's involvement with the political aspects of Republic City deepened and his responsibilities increased, he had less opportunity to travel outside of the United Republic; since he had become a member of the council and part of the city's leadership, he was tied down daily, with urgent problems at hand that needed his attention and presence. Likewise, Suki journeyed back to the Fire Nation capital once again with Ty Lee. Their visits to Kyoshi Island became shorter and less frequent.

Sokka sent letters to Suki, always promising that soon enough, they would see each other again, and they would finally wed. It was not long now; they would have to be patient. They held onto their hopes and the many wonderful plans they had for their future together.

Seasons came and went. Sokka had barely taken the time to notice the trees transform their coat of lush green into red and golden tints until they were shed. He found himself swamped in his duties, selfishly demanding his full attention. The former warrior experienced it to be increasingly difficult to make time for the letters to his beloved. The council was summoned several times a week, with sessions sometimes lasting for hours and well into the night. He would retire late, completely exhausted.

He yearned for his betrothed, with every fiber of his being; it devastated him that in his following letter, he would have to explain to her, once again, that he was not coming this time either.

Winter finally set in, bringing with it a blanket of whiteness to cover everything outside. It all thawed when the heat returned and lifethrived yet again. Rather than enjoy the beauty of spring or summer, Sokka found himself slowly transforming into a drudge; the weight of his responsibilities changed him.

Not surprisingly, Toph had been the first person to point that fact out to him. Eager to prove her wrong, he challenged her in a bet, which consisted out of a drinking contest. Much to his friend's amusement, however, he ended up the sore loser.

The two spent much time together. The twenty-six year old earthbending master somehow never ceased to entertain or amaze the man. Whenever he needed a good distraction from his work, or his trials and tribulations, Toph was the perfect provider. It reminded him of old times; days when there was only the two of them, and all the trouble they caused. Somehow, she was still the same old Toph, and around her, he was the same old Sokka; in her company, he shed the masks and the façade of this solemn, boring official that his political career had molded him into. Somehow, she brought him back to life, and reminded him of who he was.

It had been two years since Sokka last saw Suki, on the day of their engagement. Their letters were fewer and further between as time slipped past them, and they scarcely contained more than a dull recount of their mundane lives; political squabbles, current news in the city, what their respective families and friends had been doing, polite and formal in tone. Sokka came to realize that they lacked the ardent nature that they had once encompassed.

Then one day, he received a letter from the Fire Nation; another letter from his fiancé. He pulled the parchment out of its container, rolled it out onto his desk and read it.

"_Dear Sokka," _she started her letter.

He read about her most recent endeavors. About Ty Lee's latest boyfriend and of the constructions and developments in the Fire Nation. She recounted some of the conversations she had shared with Zuko and Mai, and how Azula's clever plans had saved them at least twice from an outbreak of civil war, and once from getting killed. Someone had even suggested that perhaps she could have been a royal advisor, an idea which Suki hoped would remain just that: an idea.

He read it casually over, until he came to the second part of the letter.

"_In any case, the reason I'm writing this to you is because I have something important I need to tell you. To be honest, I've had it on my mind for a while and I feel it's time to let it out into the open. _

_I'm on my third mission this week. It's the Royalists' third attempt to abduct or harm the Firelord in a single week; this occurs on a regular basis. Extra security is needed at the palace at all times, and Ty Lee and I have taken more shifts to ensure that all goes well. _

_I made a vow to protect Zuko and his family with my life if I have to. And frankly, I don't see this situation changing anytime soon. There's no telling how long this will go on for. It has already been two years since our engagement, and we are still where we are. _

_The truth is, I've come to accept what I knew since the beginning, and I've come to a point where I deem it's no longer possible for me to lie to you, or to myself. I feel we have grown apart, Sokka. Things are no longer what they used to be, and I am sure that you agree. We're practically playing charades rather than be mature and reasonable and face the reality of what is happening. And the reality is that I just don't feel the same way about us anymore. I still care for you deeply, and that will never change. But there is no use holding out hope for something that we both know will not and cannot work out. How many times have we promised each other that we would finally see each other and go through with what we've planned? To be honest, I've lost count. It's a waiting game that neither of us can win. And I can't do this anymore. I'm so sorry._

_I hope you can understand, and forgive me, that we can still at least be on talking terms if and when we might actually meet. _

_Please take care. _

_Suki"_

Sokka stared at the parchment. He looked for more; that couldn't be it! Was that truly all there was?

It took him about a minute for her words to sink in. He understood, he truly did. Still, it would not dull the terrible anguish within his chest. Her words cut through him like a knife, tearing down his whole world. What pained him the most, was that he had foreseen this all along; he had known, if even subconsciously, but always denied that it could, or would happen; it was inevitable, and only a matter of time.

He came to a painful realization: he had after all broken their promise. They had a dream for the future; they were young and crazy and very much in love; nothing could ever change that, and no matter how far away they would be from each other, their love was strong and could endure anything.

Duty came to tear them apart. Even so, Sokka could never relinquish Suki or the memories of their past relationship; they would forever remain engraved in his being. How could he ever forget her: the one who taught him that girls can fight too? The woman who stole his breath; the woman he had shared his first intimate moments with; his first true love? The woman he had asked to become his spouse, his partner for life?

The thought of taking a brief vacation to visit Suki played on his mind. Perhaps he could talk to her and they could figure out an alternative solution and smooth things over; perhaps it wasn't too late and Suki had not been thinking clearly when she wrote her letter, acting solely upon emotion.

Perhaps. Maybe. Maybe it could still be salvaged; maybe it wasn't the end.

Still, what good would it have done; what difference would it have made? It couldn't work, when they lived so far apart and neither was willing to leave their positions. And why should they? Wasn't peace what they fought for, and their most important focus and goal? From the tone of her letter, she sounded like she had made up her mind; she knew what she wanted and where she stood. Perhaps it was time for him to get his own priorities straight.

A familiar sting grew in his eyes. He slouched over a heap of papers, on the verge tears, when he accidentally caught the silhouette of a figure standing in the doorway. Startled by the unexpected visitor, he composed himself by force, wiping away his tears on his forearm.

"Toph!" he exclaimed when he saw who the guest was. Happy to see his friend, he scrambled to embrace her.

"The sight of me exciting you so much? Wow. You must have a really boring job," the chief mocked. "You and I need to have ourselves a drink. Don't you agree, Councilman Meathead?"

Sokka managed a smile despite the agony in his chest and acknowledged, "You know me too well."

"Good, good. Meet me outside of headquarters in an hour." She emphasized with a finger. "And don't be late."

With a wide grin spread across her face, she spun around promptly and exited.

* * *

They chose an obscure restaurant near the docks for their night of drinking. Because of their positions, both decided to change to casual Earth Kingdom garbs to blend in and avoid attracting attention and possible rumors that could affect their careers. Toph had even let her hair down for this occasion only, and donned an ankle-length forest-green silken dress which revealed her curves and graceful neck. Sokka found himself unable to avoid staring; he was not accustomed to seeing this soft, ladylike side of Toph. Part of him took pleasure in it, and he would have complimented her, probably even told her that she should appear like this more often, but he kept it to himself at the risk of being crushed beneath a boulder.

At a small round table in a corner, the two sat together facing each other.

"Waiter, my friend here wants another round!" Toph exclaimed, signaling for the waiter to come to their table and deliver more liquor.

Yet another glass was placed before Sokka, which he grabbed immediately. This had been his fifth glass in less than an hour.

"Bottoms up!" he declared. Without further ado, he devoured his beverage, and slammed the empty glass back onto the table when finished.

A long pause ensued. Toph sensed stalling, like he was avoiding something at all costs.

"So, are you going to tell me what's eating you or do I have to guess?" she ventured, same brash tone she would always use when she expected to have her way.

Sokka merely sighed heavily and buried his face in his palms. About half a minute must have passed by in silence until he finally conceded.

"Suki broke up with me," he muttered.

"Oh. Well…that sucks."

The simplicity of her tone caused the man to lift his head and shoot her an incredulous glance. "You don't seem too surprised."

Toph merely shrugged. "I'm not. You haven't seen her in two years. I'd say that's reason enough to want to break up."

"Yeah, that's what she said. That it's the distance, and our duties, and that she's…just not feeling it anymore."

"Well, to be fair, I would probably have done the same if I were in her shoes. I mean, it's been going on for years and it could just as well never change. Who can blame her?"

Before anything else could be said, as if on cue, the man hunched over the table and buried his face in his arms when a loud wail escaped him. He broke down, sniveling miserably, shoulders trembling; he let it all out into the open, no longer able to contain his emotions.

Toph knew not what to do with this man. For all the years she had known him, she had never experienced Sokka cry. This situation made her feel highly uncomfortable and she patted his back awkwardly.

"Oh, come on," she whispered, somewhat annoyed, "I didn't mean to insult you."

Sokka, however, defended, "N-no…y-you're right. We've been growing apart…for some time. It was bound to happen, sooner or later, and I knew, but still-" he couldn't finish his sentence before another fit of sobs attacked him.

In an attempt to drown his sorrows, he ordered an additional drink, which he guzzled down, and he still asked for more. It took all of Toph's restraint and patience not to earthbend his arms and legs to the ground. The councilman whined like a child who didn't get the toy he wanted, and wept stridently, turning heads in their direction. Other customers in the bar began to whisper amongst each other. Toph scowled at her pathetic friend's embarrassing behavior.

"Okay, I think you've had enough," the chief advised and rose from her chair, grabbing his arm. "Come on, let's get you home."

Toph asked for the tab, and paid for their drinks. After several protests from her friend, she somehow managed to coerce him to lean onto her shoulder, and with the strength of an armadillo-bear, she dragged the man all the way back to his residence.

The sky was pitch black with no moon out, only the stars spread across it like tiny diamonds, sparkling away in their usual manner.

Neither said a word to each other during their march. Having walked for about a half hour, they reached the front door of Sokka's home. The latter fumbled for his keys in silence until he found the right one and unlocked the entrance.

He stopped. Toph did not quite understand this sudden halt, and why he had opened the door but not stepped inside; she could merely assume that Sokka was staring at her, judging by the question that followed.

"Have I ever mentioned that…you're really beautiful?" he muttered almost unintelligibly, flushed and tipsy.

"That's nice, Sokka," came the chief's casual reply.

While stoic and unmoved on the outside, she could feel her heart skip a beat at the utterance of those particular words. Much to her annoyance, what appeared to be old and buried feelings were now bubbling up to the surface once more. Still, she decided not to lose her cool and keep a level head, considering her friend's raving state of mind; he knew not what he was saying. She remained firm and detached, with only one objective in mind: getting her friend home safely and ensure that he stayed there.

The councilman smiled, but could barely stand still or straight and supported himself on his companion. Still, he pushed her fringe behind her ears to reveal her misty green eyes, and cupped her face in both hands, lips closing in on hers; his breath stunk of liquor when she felt the sensation of his lips lightly brush against her own. Toph pushed him away immediately when she understood what he was about to do.

"You're drunk," she responded, her tone stern and disapproving.

She managed to turn away when she felt her own face grow hot; whether it was from his touch and what he had said, or the mere embarrassment of the situation, she could not tell. "You should get some sleep."

Toph grabbed her friend's shoulders firmly from behind and pushed him inside his home. Bidding him goodnight, she took her farewell and assured him, despite his protests, that he would see her again soon enough, but as of this moment, he needed to rest out as much as possible, and was not allowed to leave his house until morning.

"Stay inside, and stay out of trouble," she had warned, emphasizing each word. "Don't make me have to arrest you."

And so, she left a drunken Sokka alone.

* * *

Two whole seasons had gone by since that bleak night, and before he had truly healed. The agony in his chest subsided gradually as time passed and he became accustomed to his new life, accepting that he and Suki had come to a fork in the road and she decided to walk the other path.

During the past months, he had felt so hopelessly empty, like a part of him had been torn away. Suki and himself had become so close and interconnected, that when she decided to leave him, he felt like a part of him ceased functioning. He had been angry. Angry at himself, for letting everything play out the way it did, and angry at Suki. Only he was not angry at her per say, but hurt and disappointed. Perhaps some part of him had secretly believed, with childlike naïve idealism, that their love was eternal and unbreakable; that it would always overcome every obstacle, every hardship, always burning with the same intensity as it had done when they first became a couple. That was the most excruciating part for him to grasp and come to terms with. Suddenly, he had felt very vulnerable and exposed, like he had just learned of his mortality.

Fortunately, his sister and closest friends did not live far from his own home. But they were busy with their own families. Katara tutored some young waterbenders including her daughter Kya and looked after Bumi, who got himself into trouble regularly with his older sister; all of that while expecting a third baby, now nearing the end of her pregnancy. As the avatar, Aang moved about constantly in the United Republic as well as the Fire Nation, and came home during the weekends to be with his family, and Sokka saw very little of him.

It appeared that everybody around him was having children. It pained him greatly that, due to his position, he would not have been able to make time for a child. And even if he could have and wanted to, the only person he had ever wanted to and imagined conceiving any children with had been Suki…

Over the months following the end of his long relationship, he continued to see more of Toph. The two always managed to find time for one another, and made it into something of a tradition to spend the weekends together, simply relaxing and entertaining themselves in their usual manner.

Sokka enjoyed those get-togethers, and they reminded him of their adolescence and early teen ages when they shared an innocent and unbreakable bond as the best of friends. They still were, nearly twenty years later. The mere thought warmed his heart. And also, he felt something else; an emotion he had not expected to find there.

After a few months, the earthbender had been completely caught up in her work as the chief of police as well as the master of the Metalbending Academy. Because of her work, sometimes Sokka would not see her for weeks on end. Toph had merely shrugged and explained that she was up to her ears in her duties and on top of that, she had several novices at the academy whom she trained. Still, he began to miss her presence; it bothered him that she was away so often.

When they would meet briefly on occasion, Sokka detected scratches and contusions on her arms, legs and even her face. The woman dismissed his concerns, claiming that 'it comes with the territory'. But she returned regularly with bruises and scars. Sokka had never seen her take so much damage, especially not by training students. Despite her claims that it was nothing to worry about, he could not help but wonder whether his friend was withholding something.

But rather than dwell on it, he let the matter go. Instead, he decided to visit her at the academy one day. He felt that he could use some fun and entertainment, and above all, he missed Toph. There was a wide, confident grin plastered on his face as he marched boldly towards the school; this was a surprise visit, and she had no idea that he was coming to see her. He could only imagine her astonishment and the warm welcomes; the mere thought added to his good mood.

The man stepped into her dojo, and spotted his friend inside, in the middle of the facility. It was unusually empty, with only Toph and a young man in his thirties like the two of them, who Toph appeared to be talking to.

His bistre hair was tied back in a small bun, and his green eyes peered curiously at the councilman. Sokka could not help but look between the two when he took notice of Toph's prolonged smile and her white face flushing. The most confident of grins curved her lips and the young man beamed back at her.

"Oh, hey, Sokka," she greeted at last when she sensed him approaching them. "I didn't notice you."

"Sokka?" asked the young man, gaping in astonishment. "As in _the_ Sokka?"

"Sure is," Toph affirmed, still beaming.

"Um, do I know you?" came Sokka's confused response.

The earthbending master placed a firm hand onto the stranger's shoulder, still facing Sokka, and proceeded to introduce him.

"Sokka, this is Taro: my number-one student."


End file.
